Death by Towel

The paper towel dispenser in my office is the kind with a bit of towel hanging down for you to pull.  Pulling it dispenses one sheet, and gets another started for the next person.  When there’s no towel hanging down to pull, one refers to the helpful knob on the side labeled:

FOR EMERGENCY FEED, TURN KNOB

Aren’t we being a little dramatic?  What emergency, exactly, do the manufacturers envision?  Moreover, what if I need a towel in a non-emergency situation?  There is no knob for “non-emergency manual feed” nor any instruction for emergency towel acquisition if the towel is already hanging there properly.

Did someone really consider the simple phrase “MANUAL FEED” insufficient instruction for that knob?